Grapple for handling crossties and the like



A. M. DEITERS GRAPPLE FOR HANDLING CROSS'IIES AND THE LIKE July 2, 1946.

Filed Jan. 22, 1945' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR." 6. M .DEZTEFPS,

y 1 A. M. DEIT ERS 2,403,346

I GRAPPLE FOR HANDLING CROSSTIES AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1945 f ig, 3. 22 2.6 35 25 INVENTOR. A M D E n5 RS ATIa'RNEn Patented July 2, 1946 GRAPPLE FOR HANDLING CROSSTIES 7 AND THE LIKE August M. Deiters, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Southern Wood Preserving Company, Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application January 22, 1945, Serial No. 573,885

8 Claims.

This invention relates to grapples for handling cross-ties and the like and, among other objects,

aims to provide novel grapple hooks for use with loading and unloading cranes and having provision for grasping, picking up and automatically releasing a plurality of crossties. The main idea is to provide a device of this character for conveying or transferring crossties from railroad cars or from stacks, wherein the ties are arranged parallel with each other, so that several ties can be picked up at onetime.

Another aim is to provide a multiple hook grapple device which can be easily guided onto a layer of crossties and having manual means to release the hooks when the device is lowered to rest on the ties, so that the hooks will automatically engage the opposite ends of ties of varying lengths as the grapple is lifted.

A more specific aim is to provide a grapple of this type especially designed to be used in conjunction with an unloading cranesuch as that disclosed in my co-pending application entitled Loading and unloading crane, filed simultaneously herewith, to facilitate the unloading of green crossties from box cars and transfer them to conveyor mechanism for pre-stacking on tramcars, as set forth in application Serial No. 564,- 509, filed November 21, 1944, and entitled Method of and apparatus for handling crossties. Of course, it will-be understood that this invention is applicable to other uses. For example, the grapple can be employed to remove crossties from flat cars, gondolas and the like, and to transfer them to treatment trams.

Other aims and advantages of the invention will appear in the specification, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a grapple embodying the invention, showing it lowered into posi- 1 tion to be engaged with a group of crossties;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. '1, showing the hooks in engagement with the crossties after the grapple has been initially lifted; and

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the grapple shown in Fig. 1.

The aforesaid co-pending application, Serial No. 564,509, discloses a car unloading crane having provision for picking up one crosstie at a time and transferring it to a conveyor for prestacking the ties in the form of ricks on tramcars. This invention applies to a multiple grapple or hook device designed to pick as many as four or five crossties endwise and transfer them from a box car to a conveyor. It is sodesigned that it can be conveyed into and out of a box car and guided onto layers of crossties therein, even when the car is fully loaded, so that a workman can manipulate the grapple and steer its load through a door of the car on the opposite side from the crane.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the grapple is illustrated as having a substantially rectangular main frame composed of opposite side angles Iil carrying fixed transverse shafts I I near their opposite ends on which are pivotally mounted a series of substantially L-shaped hooks 12 having cylindrical spacing hubs I3 on the shaft, the arrangement being such that the hooks can swing freely and independently on the shafts. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the hooks are formed with pointed ends l4 and they project well beyond the opposite ends of the main frame.

" In this instance, the main frame has a suspension frame conveniently composed of strap metal elements l5 connected to the two shafts, as shown, and extending upwardly to a point above the center of the frame, carrying an eye is adapted tobe engaged by a hook I! on a hoisting cable l8. The arrangement is such that the grapple can be swiveled on the suspension cable and guided onto a layer of crossties C, shown in dotted 7 lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will be noted that the hooks in their open positions, shown in Fig. 1, extend beyond the ends of the crossties. They are adapted to be held or retained in this position by means of bail-shaped members comprising pivoted bail-arms [9, which 'may be in the form of angles mounted on transverse shafts Zll extending across the main frame and these arms carry transverse angle members 2| having upstanding flanges adapted to engage the under sides of the hook arms l2, as shown in Fig. 1. Each of the bail arms is shown as carrying a pivoted latch element 22 having two notches 23 and 24 adapted to swing into latching engagement with the hubs l3 of the side hook elements on the shafts H. In Fig. 1, the latch elements are shown as being so engaged as to hold the hooks in their extended positions and, in Fig. 2, the uppernotches of the latch members are engaged with the hubs of the side hooks, limiting the downward swinging movement of the bails to prevent the grapple hooks from swinging down,- wardly to a vertical position, but permitting all of the grapple hooks to swing downwardly a sumcient distance to engage the ends of the ties. Such grapple hooks as do not engage the ends 3 rest against the angles 2|, as indicated at the right hand end of Fig. 2.

The latch members are preferably made of sheet metal and are curved inwardly, as shown, to facilitate automatic operation. In this instance, the upper ends or horns of the latch members are pivotally connected to operating links 25, the inner ends of which are connected to toggle arms 26, which are rigidly mounted on an oscillatable shaft 2'! extending across and above the main frame, being supported by upstanding ears 28 which are conveniently welded or otherwise secured to the frame angles H1. The opposite ends of the operating shaft 21 are shown as being bent to form handle members 29 adapted to be manipulated to disengage all of the latches when the device is lowered onto a group of crossties. The arrangement is such that when the toggle arms at the opposite ends of the latch operating shaft are in the position shown in Fig. 1, they will hold the latches in. their innermost or retracted position, with their lower notches engaging the hubs l3.

The toggles and latches are normally biased to latching position by means of a coil spring 31] connected at one end to the main frame and, at the other end, to a crank arm 3| fixed on the operating shaft 21. The arm 3! is so connected that it will be swung to its dead center relative to the axis of the springwhen the toggle operating shaft is turned to its latch releasing position. Hence, the latches will remain unlatched without further attention on the part of an operator. When the latches are thus disengaged, the bails are freed to swing downwardly by gravity until the upper notches of the latches fall into engagement with the hubs I3, as shown in Fig. 2'.

It will be understood that the operator will release the hooks by operating one of the handles on the toggle shaft when the grapple is in position to grab the ties. Then, the crane is operated: to. lift the grapple so that all of the hooks will swing downwardly on their shafts and engage the ends of the ties. The individual, pivotal mounting of the hooks permits them, to engage ties of slightly different lengths, as shown in Fig, 2, those grasping the shorter ties swinging downwardly farther than the others. The spacing of the hooks is such as to insure that at least one of them engages one end of a tie. However, they can be arranged so as to provide for engagement of two or more hooks at each end of the tie. Moreover, the points of the hooks may be sharpened, as shown in Fig. 3, to provide blade portions 32 which prevent the ties from rotating when. engaged by only one hook at each end.

To prevent the projecting parts of the mechanism on. opposite sides of the frame from bumping into and damaging the jambs of car doors, as well as the mechanism, protecting angles 33 are shown as being mounted on opposite sides of the mainframe. They extend beyond the vertical planes of the operating handles 29 and provide smooth surfaces to slide against door jambs which may be engaged during the operation of the crane and manipulation of the grapple.

It is believed that the operation of the grapple will be apparent to those skilled in the art. When it is employed for handling crossties, it ll be understood that an operator must guide grapple endwise over a group of ties to be ed up. Then, he will release the latches by bulating the toggle shaft and actuate a to operate the crane and lift the grapple. e hooks automatically engage the ends of the ties, ice-tong fashion, as heretofore explained, and further lifting movement will pick them up. The operator will then follow the load to a car door and guide the grapple, endwise, through it to avoid damage to door jambs or the sides of the car. When the load is to be released it is only necessary to lower the crossties until one or more of them come to rest. As the grapple is further lowered the bail members will engage and ride upon the top surfaces of the ties and swing upwardly, thereby disengaging the upper notches of the latch members from their latched or suspended positions in Fig. 2, and swinging the latches upwardly so that the spring urged toggles will retract all of the latches and cause their lower notches to engage the hubs of the hooks, as shown in Fig. 1. At the same time, the upper edges of the bail angles 2| will engage the arms 12 of all of the hooks and swing them upwardly out of engagement with the ties. Then the grapple i ready to be carried by the crane-into position to pick up another load. Thus, the releasing operation is entirely automatic, it being only necessary that the operator guide the grapple to pick up loads and see that the ties are in proper position to be released.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the grapple is relatively simple in construction and practically automatic in operation. It facilitates the handling of very heavy crossties and effects great economy in unloading them from box cars and transferring them to conveyors. It is also contemplated that the same rig can be used for removing groups of crossties from ricks loaded on tramcars and transferring them to treatment trams arranged on different tracks, it being only necessary that the trams be transferred on the tracks to points within easy reach of the crane. Thus, the grapple can be employed to effect great economy in the handling of crossties. However, it is to be understood that such grapples are capable of other obvious uses.

Obviously, the present invention is not restrictedto the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described; but the apparatus is capable of various modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A grapple for handling crossties and the like, comprising in combination, a rectangular frame composed of rigidly connected structural element having provision to be suspended from the hoisting cable of a crane; a pair of fixed transverse shafts near the opposite ends of the frame; a plurality of grab hooks having rigid arms individually and pivotally mounted on said shafts and adapted to engage the ends of a group of crossties; bail and latch means associated with each set of grab hooks to hold the hooks open; and manually operable means connected to release the latch members when the grapple is resting upon a group of crossties, so that the hooks are free to swing into grasping engagement therewith as the grapple is lifted, all of said hooks being swung open automatically when the crossties are deposlted'and the bail members engage the crossties as the frame descends upon the deposited load.

2. A grapple as set forth in claim 1, wherein the grab hooks are in the form of L-shaped hook member pivoted to swing in vertical planes and extending beyond the opposite ends of the frame.

3. A grapple, as set forth in claim I, wherein the bail and latch members include pairs of bail arms pivotally connected to opposite sides of the frame on transverse axes spaced inwardly from the pivotal axes of the grab hooks, each of said pairs of arms carrying a bail member adapted to engage the hooks to move them to their open position; and the latch members are connected to said bail arms and have notches engaging the frame to hold the bail members in their hookopening position and to limit the downward swinging movement of the bails when the latches are released.

4. A grapple for handling crossties and the like, comprising in combination, a substantially rectangular frame having means to suspend it in a horizontal plane from the hoisting cable of a crane; a plurality of grab hooks pivotally mounted on a transverse shaft near each end. of the frame and arranged to swing downwardly to grasp the ends of a group of ties, spacing hubs on each of the grab hooks permitting them to swing independently of each other to engage ties of different lengths in the same group; pivoted bails suspended from the frame and extending outwardly to engage the undersides of the grab hooks to lift them to their open positions; latch members connected to the bails and arranged to engage spacing hubs at opposite sides of the frame to hold the bails in their hook-opening positions, said latches having notches arranged to limit the downward swinging movement of said bails so that they will hang in planes at acute angles to the plane of the frame; and manually operable toggle links connected to release said latches.

5. A grapple, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the toggle links include toggle arms mounted on a shaft extending across the central portion of the frame having manipulating handles at the opposite sides of the frame; a crank arm on the shaft; and a spring connected to the crank arm arranged to bias the toggles to swing the latches toward their latching positions.

6. A grapple, as set forth in claim 4, wherein spring means is associated with the toggle and link mechanism normally biasing the latches toward their latching positions.

7. A grapple, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the latch members are pivotally mounted to swing downwardly into their latching positions; and the bails are so mounted as to ride outwardly on a layerof crossties when lowered to unloading position.

8. A grapple for handling crossties and the like, comprising in combination, a substantially horizontal, rectangular frame composed of rigidly connected structural elements having provision to be suspended from a hoisting cable; transverse, parallel shafts near the opposite ends of the frame; a multiplicity of substantially L-shaped hooks individually and pivotally mounted on each shaft and projecting beyond the opposite ends of the frame with the hooks hanging downwardly; releasable latch means to hold all of said hooks open when the frame is lowered to pick up a group of crossties and said hooks, when released, being free to swing individually to grasp the crossties at their opposite ends; and means carried by the frame connected to engage and swing all of the hooks open to release the crossties automatically when they are deposited and the frame is lowered thereon.

AUGUST M. DEI'IERS. 

